Artistic wall unites students
PsyComm club creates board to spark discussion and change on campus
Community — The large chalkboard near the steps of DeMoss drew the attention of students walking to and from class throughout the day. Photo credit: Courtney Russo
Leaving DeMoss Hall and walking down the concrete steps located in the front of the building is generally uneventful. A skateboarder may be testing out tricks or the occasional cinema student could be filming for his or her next big project. But Thursday, April 9, students were greeted by a massive chalkboard wall, which asked students to complete the sentence, “The world would be a better place if …”
The wall was set up by Liberty’s Department of Psychology and stayed in place from 7:30 a.m. until 10 p.m. Chalk was scattered around the board for students to add their thoughts, but the board was not just there to create art. According to sophomore Grant Barkely, president of PsyComm, a club that promotes community among psychology majors, the board’s main purpose was to spark ideas that could turn into movements to actually change the world.
ART — Students used chalk to express their thoughts. Photo credit: Courtney Russo
While some students seemed to take the challenge more seriously than others, the board exhibited a variety of responses, including “… we all walked in love,” “… if people weren’t obsessed with money” and “… there was no ring by spring.”
“Hopefully, when someone writes something down here, they think, ‘I just wrote this (idea) down, now what can I do to make the world a better place?’” Barkley said.
Last year, the Department of Psychology debuted use of the chalkboard during the spring semester with the phrase, “Before I die I want to …” The theme was inspired by a speaker specializing in grief counseling, according to Barkley. Because last year’s activity seemed to have an impact, the club wanted to make the chalkboard appearance an annual event.
“This (event) does not connect to one of our classes,” Barkley said. “It doesn’t connect to a specific psychological theory. No, we’re not running a test out here or something. We just want to provide an atmosphere of creativity and expression to students.”
In addition to the artsy nature of the chalkboard, students involved with Zeta Chi, the Studio and Digital Arts (SADA) Honor Society, participated in the activity by painting wooden desks and chairs nearby.
While Zeta Chi has been participating in other local activities, such as painting a day care, as well as some globally focused activities, including an event featuring students drawing portraits of children from orphanages in different countries, the society’s participation with PysComm was more widely noticed than previous events.
“(Participating in different activities has) just been fantastic,” junior Joy Quarmout, Zeta Chi’s president, said. “(I love being) able to use our gift(s) to glorify God and impact others.”
Zeta Chi assisted the PysComm club by painting desks and chairs that are original furnishings of Liberty Baptist College, which existed from 1971 to 1985 before the school was renamed Liberty University, according to Barkley.
Barkley found the chairs at Liberty’s 12th Street warehouse in downtown Lynchburg, where most of the antique furniture is stored. When Barkley and the Department of Psychology found out about the chairs being given away by Liberty, they asked for a few, and the university complied.
With new campus traditions just beginning, Barkley and Quarmout hope in the coming years students can use their beliefs and talents to make the university and the world a better place.
Tiller is the feature editor.